Protector mechanism for looms



June 3, 1930. w. H. WAKEFIELD 1,760,970

PROTECTOR MECHANISM FOR Looms Filed March 16, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 3", 1930. w.l H. WAKEFIELD 1,760,970

PROTECTOR MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed March 16, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 3;V 1930 'UNITED 'STATE WALTERk nz.- WAKEFELD, orl WORCESTER, ivrASSAoirUSETTs, 4AssrerNoR-To .CROMPTON a xnowrns Looirwonne, or WORCESTER, MASSAQHUSETTS, A' CORPORATION OF 1 IVIASSACHUSETTS vPROTECTOR yivrncriAnI'sM vFois Looms Application led March 1G,

This invention relates tofimprovements inr protector mechanism forvlooms and it is the 5 tle is not running on schedule by devices which d shuttle binder.v

' pressure of the warp.threads and where whip are set into operation atan earlier time than usual and at a'point `in the flight of the shut.- tle prior to the engagement of the latter with the binder. -V u 1 Y l The usual form of` protector mechanism v includes a finger secured to a protector rod which is pivoted to the lay anda substantially horizontal dagger held in fixed angular.v position with respect to the detector v rod. The dagger is normally positionedto engage' the bunter on the loomframe to stop the loom but is moved out of this position if the shuttle entersthe box at or before a predetermined time. rlhe binder has direct'engagement with the protector linger and the shuttle-engages. the binder to swing theproteoto'rrrod'to move l the dagger to non-stopping position. It will Y be seen that this type ofv motion is' dependent uponthe entry ofvthe shuttle intoA the b ox a. sucientl distanceto engage andV movev `the It is acommon rule in setting.'protecting devices to have them operate when the'lay isf to the rear of its foremostposition by adis' tance equal approximately to one and one-.

rhalf times the width of the shuttle.V This di-v mension is not"` necessarily fixed because .the yielding of the whip roll will act to relieve' rolls are moyable forwardly rat the time of protection or movable otherwiseto shorten the necessary path'of the warpfrom the beam tothe fell of the cloth the protecting mechanism may beset somewhat later. Many looms Y are provided with whip rolls which do, notfyi'eld to any appreciable extent and thabove' rule applies to these looms.

' The sweep ofthelayordinarilyhasa fixed.4

relationl'with respect to the width oftheshjut#V tle butthisl relation is not the "same vfor all n looms. i For instance, in one `'type of 'gingha'mf loom ywhich has goneinto general use 'the' s "weep of the lay is' 2.86 "tir'nesthe Width of the shut-tle, while inthe case'of aworsted loom of usual eonstruetion theseep "of the lay isf set forth in the claims. y

i928. serial No. 262,315.'

found to beSfOet times the width of the'shut'v i tle.. Other looms may have ditterentrelaf y' tions, but it will ordinarily befound thatvthe sweep of the lay is approximately three times .the width of thev shuttle. 1

From the Vforegoing figures it will be seen l .that thelayis approximately one-,half way between; its front and backextreme positions at `the timeof protection vand becauseofthe crank-methodof driving the laythe latter is travelling atits fastest rate of speed 'approxi-fv .mately at'the time of protection. 'Because of this vfact the ordinaryprotector mechanism acts to dissipate a relatively large amount of energyin avery short space ottimel and it not infrequentlyhappensthat layswords or loomsides break. i i

l It is an important obj of my 'preseiit vention to provide a device which mayact in f f conjunction with the'ordi'nary protector dag.-l ger to give an indication to protect the loom at some point betweenthe shuttle boxes on the opposite ends of the lay so that ifvthe Shut! Y tle is runing on time or'according to the schedule and'arrivesata certain point alongthe lay when thelatter hasfreached aigiven point; in its forward sweep the loom will continue to operata' b ut iffthe shuttle is behind' its schedule and fails to 'arrivent the given point,` Valonfe'the lay'the power will be thrown olf and y thebral're mechanism applied, the actualstopping ofthe lay being accomplished by the i i usualrdagger should the shuttleactually fail y tobe boxed intime. `Should thejshuttlef however, 'be able to get out'ofthelshed despite the. fact that it is behind schedule the protector daggerrwill be moved'to inoperative position land the Vloom will stopin the usual manner,4 as .is the case .with'iilling stop motions, withf out subjecting lthe loomv to the impactand invention'resides in thecombin'ation and ar`y f.

rangement of,parts*hereinafter"described 4and @In the' accompanying dra'wzirigfvsf;` wh'erein"Ifl intenti-.eng

have shownr convenentembaliment'of my' ma 1 'severe strains usual; in stopping bythe pro-f* portera, driving shaft 11 having aA Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a loom7 certain parts being in section, sho 7ing the driving and brake mechanism and having my invention applied thereto,

Fig. 2 is a top plan view taken in the direction of arrow 27 Figl showing the loom in running position, f

Fie. 3 is a detailed vertical section on line Fig. dis an enlarged top plan view of a por-V tion 4of the structure shown in Fig. 2,

r v drum 12 secured thereto and adapted ,for `cooperation with a. ieXi-ble friction hand 13 one end of which is anchored to fixed stud Je.

The other end ot said bandis adjnstably con-l nected as at 15yto alever 16 pivoted at 17 to the loom frame. A; tension spring 18 interposed between the lever 1G and a fired stud 19 acts normally tovmove the strap 13 against the drum 12. A forwardly extending rodv20 pivoted to the lever 16 is connected as at 21 to a .lever 22 pivoted for tree movement on a shipper rod 23 and having' an epperarm 2.4 on which a roll 25 is inoun rotatie A brake handle 26Y is keyed to a rocker chai t 27` and has tworecesses, the. low recess 21S be ing nearer theshatt 27 than theV relatively higher recess 29. rlhe roll 25 is adapted to en terjone or the other oi"- these recesses and loomv running posit-ion the parts lwill be as shown in liwith the roll'25 in the high recess 29.. VWhen in this position i the brake handle 26serves to pusi rearwardly'on the rod 20 tohold the iieiiible hand 13 away from the drum 12 against the action of spring 18. i

`A friction plateSO is secured to the top shatter driven shaft 11 andy has a friction face 3l to cooperate with. a corresponding -acfe jon' the motor gear 32 V whichiisfreely rotatable on shaft 11.A Adriving pinion is in mesh with gear- 32 and is the source otpowerby which the loom is operated. A grooved Y collard rigid with the gear 82 cooperates y with anarm 35 ot a shipper lever 36 pivoted as at 37 toa bracket 38 secnredto and torming part Ofi the liXed frame of the loom. rllhe i forward end of said shipper lever 36 is provided with anlupst'anding pin 39 which is re- Qeived by the slot l() formed inthe bottomoi shipper handle el. Thev shipperV handle is. securedtofthe shipper rod 23' and has a projection l2fwhic'h lies behind lrnocknoii lei'erv 43 pivoted at 44 to the underside ofthe breast beam V45. Lever 18 has a notch 46 adapted to receive a dagger i7 forming part of the usual protector mechanism. lli/Then the loom is running the shipper handle Vwill be moved to the lett as viewed in Fig. 1 or trontwardly, the shipper mechanism being what is known as the front pull type.

A portion of the protector mechanism may be of the usual type and may include a protector rod pivoted in oneY or more brackets lsecured to the'lay 52 and having the aforesaid dagger or daggers 47 secured thereto. In the case' ot end protection there will be a eachend of the lay7 while in the case ot'center protection there will be but one dagger located approximately at the center of the loom. Adjacent each end of the protector rod 50 is a finger 52 adapted torengagement with shuttle bindere which is moved outwardly by the shuttle VAtorsion spring 5ft surrounds the protector rod and has one end located under one` ot the daggers as at while the other end entends as at 56 underthe lay The effect of the torsion liold the dagger or daggers 4e? in rs 52 is to roclr the protector rod .unter-clockwise direction as viewed linst the action of the torsion c hcnever the shuttle S engages the ard moves the latter outwardly or to ene i t viewed in Fig. 3. I i' y So long as the-shuttles is properly boxed thedagger or daggers 47 will be lowered belfore they varrive in position to engage the knock-ofi lever 43, but should the shuttle tail to arrive in thehoz; or in theposition to move the binder smiiciently'to cause the 417 to clear the lrnoclnotilevcr the latter will be rocked in a counter-clockwise direction about its pivot llll'as viewed in Fig. 2 to engage the projection l2 vand move the shipper handle and brake handle to stopping position.. The matter thus far described is ot common construction and of itself terms no part of my present invention.

TheV protector mechanism thus far described'depends for itsoperation upon actual engagement or" the shuttle Ybinder by the shutt-leto prevent stopping of thelooni, and as previously stated there are times when conditions are such that a knocking-oit or stopping of the looin'by; means of this form of protection subjectsithe Yloom frame, or the vsimporting strncturefor the lay to'considerable strains, `resu ting notintrequently in brealrages. lt is the purpose of my Vpresent inventiongto determine at some earlier time in the ilight of the shuttle whether it .will be necessary to Vstopthe loom to prevent warp breakage due to the :tact that the shuttle is hehinc its schedule as it travels' along the lay. 'Accordingly,` liprovidea detecting device Vlocated between the .binders and the shuttle horesv and` ceusefthe same to4 he enaged by the shuttle as the latterris in .flight o that if the shuttle v.be behind. its schedule stopping of the loom will be initiated. Y

As showinO' one Convenient Vembodimentof my invention I provide'the hand yrail'I-I with a bracket to which ispivoted a's'at 61 a lever 62 having a forwardly extending finger 63 which may project through a reed' R. The lever is pivotally connected as at 64 to a' rod head 65 havingadjustable conneet-ion with a rod 66 and extending downwardly to'pass through an opening'67 formed in a lever 68. .Said lever 68 is freely pivoted onv a stud 69supported bya bracket 7 Ose-Y cured at the under side ofthe lay. A torsion spring 71 surrounds the stud 69and has one end disposed as at 72 behind a portion of the bracket while the other end passes asat 7 3 under the lever 68 and acts to hold the lever with the forward end thereof (the left hand end as viewed in Fig. 5) in raised position. Thedagger 74 is mounted in lever 68 and is moved longitudinallyby means of aset screw 75 threaded into the leverf68 yand is held against accidental displacement by means of a second set screw 76. l The previously describedv shaft 27 has secured thereto a collar 77 provided with a notch 78 adapted to receive vthe forward'end of the dagger 74. The spring 71 normally holds the dagger 4 so that the same will enter the notch-'78 unless moved downwardly.l

A connect-ion between levers 62 and 68 is affordedby'means vof a pair of compression springs 79"and 80 which maylie l'above and below,respectively,that portion of the lever 68 throughk which'therod 66 extends and said springs79- and 8O may beequal so thata movement of said rod 66 in either direction will resultfin a co'rresponding'movement of lever 68. Pins 81 extending through the rod V66 limit movement Aof said compression' springs 7 9 and 80., vThe vertical position of thegflevers may be determined .by meansfof a set screw 82 carried by an upstanding arm k83 formed on Vle'verr62 vand-positioned for engagement with. a' portion of the`Y bracket? 60,

' In operation,the shuttle willbe picked r.back andforth acrossthe layinthe usual manner and when it is running properlywill laylreaches a predetermined `forward posi-1 tion 'in its' advance movement towardfthev breast beam 45. VThe fingerwill therefore be raised from the position shown in .-Fig. f7`to`y thatshwn in Fig. 5 andftherefwill Vbe 'afcor responding upward movement ofthe rod 66 and depression offdagger 74 so that thelatterwill clear the VVnotch 78. This condition pre-f!v vails "so longas the shuttle 1is Arunnin'g on schedule-.w Shouldk the shuttlebe behindf schedule,` however, and be" running''slow enough ys'othat in allprobability'it. *w'illfbe necessaryto `rprotect lthe loom in order .to l

prevent warp breakage7 `linger 63 -will be downtwhen the lay reaches the aforesaid predetermined position in its forward advance l and `the* dagger 74 will enter the notch 78 and move the rolling rod 27 angularly in a clock# wise direction vas viewed in*v Figs. 5 and 7. The effect of thismovement on the part of rolling rod 27 is to rockI the brake handle to ythe right as viewed in Fig. 1,"thereby perrelation with respect to the drum 12. This movementis accompanied by a forwardmotion on the part of rod 2O andan adjustable collar C on saidrod'will'engage the shipper handle 41 to move'the-latter to stopping posi- Y tionto bring about separation .of the friction drum 30 andthel gear 32, therebythrowing power oif and vbraking the loom. `f

As thelay continues vto mo bev raised to enter notch 46 of theV knockfoff lever 43. Said-knockoft1 ylever operates in the usual mannerfto kbring about an'abrupt. .stopping of the layin timeto prevent the `shuttle from breaking outwarp threads,' but inasmuch as the auxiliary device'whichcon-y trols the dagger 74 operates earlier in'the pick or'when the lay is in a? relatively rearbrake tooperate on the drum 12 sothatA the main daggerhas flesswork to doin stopping the lay than is 'ordinarily the case'andconsequently vthe loom is subject to less strainfthan usual. The dagger 74 kwill be of suiiicientw Ilength tozengage the collar7 7 at any desired. point wit-hin limitsand this point will occur l ye forwardly the main dagger ofthe protecting device-will lward 'position 1there` is sufficient 'time' for the at a part of the cycle` of the lpick appreciably in advance of the time allowed for the operation of the protector mechanism..

The auxiliary mechanism shownv herein is illustrated Yas vbeing adjacent one selvage of the cloth butit is to Vbe understood'that. a# similar device 'willbe located .on the oppositeV 1 side of the'loom and will have similar effectsA to those ofthe mechanism described.'V 'VVhile have shown kthe device as located. outside ,the Vselvage yet I do not wish to be .limited-.tof

this .construction ascertain features 'of my invention will operate lsatisfactorily if but one indicating device were used'in the center: ofithe'ilooin. f i

.. From the'vforegoing it will be seenvthat'` have provided a 'loomv havingthe-usualpro-."

` tector lmechanism witha'n l auxiliary. ldevicel Y which aotsltofinitiate stoppageof thejA loom f .Y

when the `shuttle isV behind schedule'but bef 125 Y fore the `lay has' advanced to the position*v f` where the" shuttle would Aordinarily engagethebinder to disable theprotector mecha-r DSHL By ISaSOIl ofk this auxiliaryl device the Y' V.power vmay bep-disconneotedV and thebraking i mechanism applied at an earlier point in the cycle of the pick than would be possible if the fdevice vdepended entirely upon theV movement `of the shuttle binder in the usual manner. TWhile I have shown the auxiliary device in combination with the Vusual protector, yet where the i brake operates with sufficient prompt-ness it may be possible to dispense with the usual dagger. lt may happen, however, that a shuttle will be behindits schedule so as to set the auxiliary device into action but will nevertheless be able to arrive in the box in time to prevent stopping of the loom through the main dagger si", in which case theloom will be stopped merely by the brake and the lay will be spared the impact which ordinarily attends protection. Gn the other hand, a shuttle may be up to schedule when it arrives at the linger 63 but will be delayed having a lay with a shuttle box at each end thereof and a shuttle to move from one shuttle box across the loom to the other shuttle box, VVdetector means positioned to` be engaged by a shuttle and locatedV between the boxes,

and mechanism operatively connected to the detector means and controlled thereby to initiate stopping of the loom before the shuttle reaches the box toward which it is travelling if said shuttle fails toiactuate'the detector means at a predetermined point in the for-` ward movement of the lay by reason of the fact that the shuttle is running slower than normal and fails to arrive in position to engage, the detectormeans when the lay reaches said .predetermined position. Y

2. In a protector mechanism for a loom having a lay with a shuttle -box at each end thereof and a shuttle to move from one shuttle box acrossthe loom to the other shuttle box, mechanism normally operative to stop the loom,`jcontrol means for the mechanism to have operative engagement with the shuttle at a pointbetween the boxes somewhere along the length ofthe lay, said meanseffective to disable the stoppin g Ymechanism to prevent the latter from stopping the loom if the-shuttle is running normally, said means controllingthemechanism `to effect stoppage of the loonirifthe Ashuttleisrunning slowerV thannormal and fails to arrive at a Vgiven ward movement'. Y

3, a :protector mefelianism. for loornY having a lay with a'shuttle box at each end thereof and a shuttle to move from one shuttle box-across the loom to the other shuttle box, primary protecting mechanism to stop the loom if the shuttle fails to be boxed when the lay reaches a predetermined position in its forward motion, and auxiliary mechanism located between the shuttle boxes to initiate stoppingof the loom if the shuttle fails to reach a predetermined point between the boxes when the lay has reached a given position which is earlier in the cycle of the pick than said predetermined posit-ion.

il.V ln a protector mechanism for a loom having a lay with a shuttle box at each end thereof and a shuttle to move from one shuttle box across the loom to the other shuttle box, primary protecting mechanism to stop the loom if the shuttle fails to be boxed at the proper-time, and auxiliary mechanismoperative-at a time prior to the normal time for boxing of :the shuttleto stop the loom when the shuttle fails to reach a predetermined point between theshuttle boxes when the lay reaches a givenrpoint in its forward movement.

5. ln a protector mechanism .for a loom having a lay with a shuttle box at each end thereof and shuttle to move from one shuttle box across the loom to the other shuttle box, twoseparate protectormechanisms to be controlled by the shuttle, one of said mechanisms being associated with one of the shuttle boxesv and the other mechanism having a portion between the shuttleboxes to Vbe engaged by theshuttle andeffective to stop'the loom when the shuttle is behind schedule and fails to reachy a given point along the length of the lay between the boxes as the lay reaches a predetermined position in its forward movement. Y

6. ln Ya protectormechanism for a loom having a lay with a shuttle box at each end thereof andy a shuttle to Vmovev from one shuttle box across y the loom to the other shuttle box, two separate devices each normally effective to Ystop-they loom and each engageable by the shuttle to be disabled by the latter to permit continuedv running of the loom, one of said mechanisms beingdisabled by a shuttle when the latter is properly boxed, and the other, mechanism having aY portion located between the shuttle boxes to be engaged normally by the shuttle at all times in the cycle of the pick prior to the normal time for boxing of the l shuttlep failure of the shuttle to engage said other mechanism at the given time causing said other mechanism tostop the loom.

` V7. ln a protector having ailay with a shuttle box at cach end thereof andra shuttle to move from one shuttle box across theloom to the other Vshuttle box,

two independent stopping mechanisms each -normallygeliq'ective to stop the loomand. both mechanism. for a loom movable to non-stopping position by the shuttle to a position to permit continued running of the loom, one of said devices being located intermediate the boxes at a point along the length of the lay and effective tol initiate stopping of the loom if the shuttle fails to reach a given position along the length having a lay with a shuttle box at each endl thereof and a shuttle to move` fromone shuttle box across the loom to theother shuttlebox, a pair of independently movable daggers each normally positioned to effect stopping of the loom, a control member for each dagger to be moved by the shuttle as the latter moves across the lay, one of said control members being located betweenrthe shuttle boxes to Vbe engaged by the shuttle to disable the corresponding dagger if the shuttle be running normally, ybut remainingV inactive if the shuttle is behind schedule, wherebystopping of the loom is initiated, and the second dagger effective to stop the'lay abruptly independently of prior engagement between the shuttle and thevsecond control member.

9. In a protector mechanismfor a loom having a lay with a shuttle box atveach end thereof and a shuttle to move from one shuttle box across the loom to the other shuttle box, a pair of independent stopping `devices each normally effective to stop thev loom and each to be disabled by the shuttle as the latter moves across the lay, one of said devices being located intermediate the boxes at a point along the length of the lay andv effective to initiate stopping of the loom but to be disabledby the shuttle when the lay is in a given position if the latteris running normally, and the otherrmechanism associated with a shuttle box and effective to stop the Vlay abruptly should the shut-tle engage the Vfirst named mechanism when the lay is in said given position but fail to arrive at the second mechanism at the normal time.

10. In a protector mechanism for a loom having a lay with a shuttlev box'and binder at each end thereoffand a shuttle to move across the loom from one shuttle box to the other and effective to engage the'binder of the shuttle box toward which the shuttle is traveling, means located between the shuttle boxes and acting independentlyy ofv the binders and eective to stop' the loom if the shuttle fails to engage said means at a predetermined point in the forward movement of the lay prior to the time in the cycle of the loom when the shut-tle normally engages the binder. Y

l1. In a protector mechanism for a loom having a layl to move backwardlyand for-A wardlyand having a'fshuttle box oneach end thereof, together with a shuttle which moves across thelayto be'boxed first inK oneshuttle boxand then in the other, means `to stop the' lay, abruptly in `-its vforward movement-if the shuttlefails -to be properly boxed when the lay reaches a predetermined,position yin its' forwardV movement, and mechanism yto Y initiatea more, gradual stopping of the lay if as the shuttle passespacrossthe layfthe same fails toarriveat a given ,point between the shuttle boxes along the lengthof the lay when the latter reaches anotherpr'edetervmined point in its forwardmovementwhich is farther from the Vextreme forward positionA of thelaythan the first named predetermined. y

point. n

- ,12. Inv a protector mechanism a loom*Y having a lay witha shuttle box at ,eafcliend thereof and a shuttle'to move from one shuttle box across the loom totheother shuttlebox,

- mechanism to stop the loom, a devicenormal- Vly out of operative relation with the mecha-y nism but Vcapable ofV being v related thereto when .the lay reaches a predetermineidpoint in itsforward motion to initiate- V,stoppingof the'loom, and detectorgmeans controlling the device and located between theboxesjat an intermediate point alongithe lay and posi-i tioned to be engagedfby the shuttle when the latter is between the boxes andl travelling alongrthe lay towardone of the boxes, said device being so related tothe detector means p thatwhen thelatter is moved by the shuttle:

said device will be moved out of operative the layreaches the aforesaid predetermined point in its forward travel, and the detector when out of operative `relation with the shutbetween the boxes to be engaged by the shuttle in flight and capable of assuming two positions, one a normal position out of engagement with the shuttle and the 4other an abnormal position when in engagement with` the shuttle, and .connections between the means and stopping mechanism effective to cause the mechanism to stopthe loom if the `relation with the stopping mechanism whenl v -tle box across vthe loom to the other shuttle box, stopping mechanism for the loom, means means is in normal yposition when the lay reaches a motion. Y

V14. In a protector mechanism for a loom having alay with a shuttle box at each end thereof and a shuttle to move from one shuttle box across the loom to the other shuttle box, stopping mechanism for the loom, means between the boxes to be engaged by the shutpredetermined kpoint in its forward tle in flight and ycapabley of assuming two positions, one a normal position ont of engagement with the shuttle and the other an abnormal position when in engagement with the shuttle, and connections between the means .and stopping mechanism effective to cause the mechanism to stop the loom if the means is in normal position when the lay reaches a predetermined point in its forward motion, the connections being ineective to cause the mechanism to stop the loom if the means be in abnormal position.

l5. In a protector mechanism for a loom having a lay with a shuttleboX at each end .thereof and a shuttle to move from one shuttle box across the loom to the other shuttle box, Y

mechanism to stop the loom, a device normally out of operative relationv with the mechanism but capable of being operatively related to the mechanism to initiate loom stoppage when the lay reachesfa predetermined point in its forward travel, and detector means controlling the device and located between the boxes at an intermediate point along the lay land positioned to be engaged by the shuttle as the latter moves across the lay, said means having operative relation with the device to relate the latter operatively with the mechanism if the shuttle fails to engage the means at the aforesaid predetermined point in the forward travel of the lay.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto afliXed my signature.

WALTER H. WAKEFIELD. 

